"Chalky" Discovery Could Increase Value of Rice by 25%

Scientists at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have finally discovered the genetic information on what makes a rice "chalky" which is an undesirable characteristic of rice that can devalue the grain by up to 25%. This information could be used to develop "chalk-free" rice varieties, which are higher in quality and have better milling recovery, and thus increase the profit of farmers.

According to Dr. Melissa Fitzgerald, head of grain quality and nutrition research at IRRI, there are two things that cause chalkiness in rice and these are genetics and the environment. However, both factors are not under the control of the growers.

"Until now, rice scientists did not know where in the rice genome the genes for chalkiness resided," asserts Dr. Fitzgerald. For more than 15 years, Dr. Fitzgerald has been trying to understand what makes rice chalky, and  understanding this will pave the way to creating chalk-free rice varieties. Their present study revealed some candidate genes that might confer chalkiness which make them a few steps away towards identifying the actual genes involved.

"Currently, there are only a few commercially available rice varieties that have genuinely low chalkiness," says Dr. Fitzgerald. "Our discovery can help us improve on this."

Read the original article at http://irri.org/news-events/media-releases/chalky-discovery-could-increase-value-of-rice-by-25.